From Olanrewaju Lawal Birnin
From Kebbi Central Senatorial district to Kebbi North and South, it seem the damages done to the main opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kebbi State with the defections of all it former three Senators are not redeemable.
As if the main opposition has given up hope, the party followers from the 225 political wards and 21 Local Government Areas where all these Senators have their strong bases, and their structures have collapsed into the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Those who were the faces and foot soldiers of PDP before the defections of the three Senators are now fully integrated into the APC fold, making the ruling party the most formidable party in the state.
However, disturbed by the sudden defections of their financial backers, the PDP leadership has resorted to name-calling of their former benefactors.
The same Senators had defected to the ruling party, APC, shortly before the 2023 National Assembly elections.
The Kebbi State chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Usman Bello Suru, labelled Senator Adamu Aliero and co who defected as ‘betrayers,’ insisting that when the APC denied them tickets of returning to the National Assembly in 2023, it was PDP which provided them a political platform to contest against the ruling party.
Suru,who stated this at a press conference held at the party’s Secretariat with selected newsmen in Birnin Kebbi, explained that their defections ,would not harm his party’s chances ahead of 2027 general elections.
He said “ the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Kebbi State will not be harm by the defection of the three Senators to APC . We remained very strong and resilient in the state. We are disappointed over the defections of these Senators . They betrayed us and PDP stood by them when the All Progressives Congress (APC) denied them tickets in the 2023 elections”.
Suru claimed that the Senators left the party without any substantial reason, only to return to the same APC that, according to him, has subjected the public to hardship and soaring living costs.
He added that the defections were not in the interest of the people but were motivated by personal ambition, describing the move as an act of ingratitude.
However,the defected Senators and other stakeholders have refuted the claims of the main opposition party, and condemned the labeling of the three Senators as betrayers. Rather, they described them as patriots who wanted good development for their dear state and beloved country, Nigeria.
One of the defected Senators, Senator Yahyah Abdullahi, representing Kebbi North Senatorial district and former Senate Leader, dismissed the name calling of the PDP Chairman, stressing that they were founding fathers of APC and retuning to APC could not be described as betrayal. Abdullahi who still controls all the polling units and political wards in Argungu Emirate, based on his popularity, noted that his defection to APC was like a homecoming.
Speaking at a inauguration of a committee for re-election of Tinubu-Kauran Gwandu recently, Senator Yahyah Abdullahi told the stakeholders at the event that they decided to return to APC because of the respect they have for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
According to him” regardless of whatever anybody will say, we are founding members of the APC and now we have decided to come back home because of the respect and high regards for both President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Comrade Governor Nasir Idris in addition to the remarkable successes being achieved by Governor Nasir’s administration within two years “.
Similarly, Senator Muhammadu Adamu Aliero said that : “My return to the APC is to nullify opposition for the progress of Kebbi. We are back to the fold with sincerity to join hands with the government for the benefit of our people”, he said.
While insisting that the PDP had collapsed in Kebbi State, Commissioner for Information and Culture, Alhaji Yakubu Ahmed Birnin Kebbi, noted that the main opposition party has been living on life support, struggling to maintain its existence for some time until the three Senators,whom he noted have been oxygen to the party, finally cut -off their supporting ‘life wire’.
He explained that the recent developments have removed any lingering doubts regarding the fate of the PDP in Kebbi State.
According to him, “the party has been living on the life support, struggling to maintain its existence for some time. The recent defection of all three senators elected under the PDP banner in 2023 to the APC has dealt a devastating blow, severing the already frayed ties that sustained the party. This incident represents the final nail in the coffin, signaling that the PDP in Kebbi has essentially met its demise.
“When a party loses its most influential leaders, it becomes nearly impossible for it to recover and pose any significant challenge to a dominant rival like the APC. With Dr. Nasir Idris at the helm in the state, the PDP’s relevance has faded completely, and its potential to compete effectively has vanished”.
Yakubu noted that the trio of Senators Adamu Aliero, Garba Maidoki, and Yahaya Abdullahi have long been the backbone of the PDP, skillfully guiding the party through turbulent times.
“Their defections have elicited strong reactions from the party members in Kebbi, who have realised that these Senators represented the best chance for future electoral success. Their departure is reminiscent of high-ranking generals abandoning a battlefield—deeply painful and disheartening for the party. Examining the careers of these three individuals reveals their political acumen and sagacity. Their victories in a strong APC-dominated environment showcased their capabilities.
“As the PDP loses ground, the APC’s strength grows, setting the stage for the upcoming 2027 elections, which now seem all but secured for the ruling party. Any glimmer of hope for the PDP has been extinguished, and a one-party dominance in Kebbi appears inevitable.
“Some critics may argue that this trend poses a threat to democracy; however, in a state like Kebbi, where a strong leader such as Dr. Nasir Idris has emerged, a unified political front could be the catalyst needed for meaningful growth and development.
“While a one-party system can potentially hinder participatory democracy if led autocratically, the emergence of Dr. Nasir Idris as Governor, along with his transparent governance and broad popular support, provides reassurance that a one-party landscape could yield positive outcomes for Kebbi.
“If a one-party arrangement promotes development, enhances democratic benefits, fosters inclusivity, and brings the community together, it could well be embraced in Kebbi state. Historically, the multi-party system in the state failed to deliver significant infrastructure improvements or economic progress, suggesting that the current approach may not suit our needs.
“Any structure capable of producing more leaders like Nasir Idris—regardless of its label—is what Kebbi needs to spur development and enhance the quality of life for its citizens. While we empathise with the PDP over its dramatic decline, we remain hopeful about the promising future that lies ahead for our state”, the commissioner said.
However, while others are rejoicing, the Grand Patron of TINUBU/KAURA two terms, Alhaji Abubakar Malam warned that in the absence of any political party with visible politicians of substance, the leadership and membership of the APC must remain steadfast and resolute in championing the course of the party.
Malam, advised that on no account should members be carried away by the defections of the three Senators, the remarkable development recorded in the state, by Governor Nasir Idris with the intervention of President Tinubu, adding that rather, they must continue to work harder, mobilising the electorate for the president and Kebbi State Governor ahead of 2027 general elections.